Mr. Johnson brings extensive experience across the global automotive, manufacturing, sustainability, and labor relations sectors. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability at General Motors, overseeing operations, engineering, labor relations, and sustainability efforts across 13 countries with nearly 95,000 employees.
“Gerald’s extensive expertise in global manufacturing and operational excellence will be instrumental as Group14 scales to help meet the skyrocketing demand for silicon batteries worldwide,” said Group14 CEO and Co-Founder Rick Luebbe. “His trailblazing leadership in manufacturing process innovation is perfectly aligned with the increasing need for high-performance batteries in EVs, AI-enabled consumer electronics, and data centers.”
As a member of GM’s Senior Leadership Team, Mr. Johnson also served on the company’s PAC Board and Steering Committee and was a founding member of its Inclusion Advisory Board. Before his role as EVP at GM, he served as Vice President of North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations. He also led the company’s Operational Excellence initiative, driving enterprise-wide cultural transformation through process discipline, continuous improvement, and waste reduction. He retired from GM in December 2024.
Mr. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial administration from Kettering University and a master’s degree in manufacturing operations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He serves on the Kettering University Board of Trustees and has been an advocate for mentorship and community engagement. In March 2021, he was elected to Caterpillar Inc.’s Board of Directors and served on the UNCF National Board of Directors from 2022 to 2024.
Mr. Johnson is the latest addition to the Group14 board, which includes Dr. Kim Ann Mink, former Chairman and CEO of Innophos Holdings, Inc.; Dr. Michael Steiner, Porsche Executive Board Member for Research and Development; Bob Lutz, who previously served as a senior executive and board member of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler; Richard Palmer, former Chief Financial Officer of Stellantis; Gerry Langeler, Managing Director of OVP Partners; and Rick Luebbe, Group14’s Chief Executive Officer.
SOURCE: Group14
